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Lie Ren wakes up to his long-time friend, Nora Valkyrie talking about how excited she is for the Beacon Academy Initiation. He then endures the rest of his morning ritual listening to her while brushing his teeth, eating his pancake breakfast, packing up his sleeping bag and retrieving StormFlower from his locker. In the locker room, Nora expresses hope that the two of them will be on the same team and attempts to formulate a plan to make sure that they will.

Meanwhile, Ruby Rose wonders about the pair's conversation, while Yang Xiao Long changes the subject by stressing how important it is to socialize with other people to grow up. While this reminds Ruby of her father's constant lectures, Ruby states that socializing is not as important as fighting, and that she is independent and doesn't need help growing up because she drinks milk. However, when Yang asks about the rumor of forming teams, Ruby nervously hopes to be with Yang. Unfortunately for Ruby, Yang wishes Ruby would choose another partner, in the hopes of her opening up to other people, which makes Ruby feel as if Yang does not want to be on the same team as her.

Jaune Arc walks past the sisters, trying to find his designated locker, while Weiss Schnee talks to Pyrrha Nikos in the hopes of forging a partnership with her. Weiss believes that with her intelligence and Pyrrha's unrivaled strength, they will be at the top of the class and the envy of the other students. Pyrrha, however, wishes for the surprise of a random partner. Soon, Jaune walks in on their conversation, hoping to form a team with Weiss. When Pyrrha states the possibility of a four-member team, Jaune suddenly shifts his attention to her and introduces himself.

As he states his intention to form a partnership, Weiss barges in on the conversation stating that such a partnership is impossible as Pyrrha's celebrity status completely dwarfs him. While Jaune is dismayed, Pyrrha says that she thinks he would be a great leader. As Jaune's hopes increase, Weiss feels uncomfortable and asks for Pyrrha's help, and suddenly Pyrrha's weapon pins him to a wall. Soon after, Glynda Goodwitch announces over an intercom that all the first-year students are to report to Beacon Cliff for their initiation. As Ruby and Yang help him up, Jaune is dismayed that his confident act didn't work.

Later, on the cliffs, Glynda informs the students that they will be given teammates today, and Ozpin announces that these partnerships will last for the four-year duration of their studies at Beacon Academy, stressing the importance of having a partner that they can work well with. He goes on to state that the partners will be decided by the first person a student makes eye contact with after they land in the Emerald Forest.

Since there will be opposition, he advises that the initiates do not hesitate to destroy everything in their path, as the possibility of dying is very real. They will also be discreetly evaluated for their performances during the initiation process, but the instructors will not intervene. The objective is to seek a relic, one per pair of partners, in a temple on the other end of the forest and guard it, along with their standings. They are then to return to the cliff that they are currently standing on with the relic.

Jaune asks Ozpin a few questions, and he soon discovers that everyone will be catapulted and that they have to figure out how to land on their own. While he asks these questions, the initiation begins, with the students being launched one by one. By the time it's Jaune's turn, he is still asking questions, and he is launched into the air screaming, while his classmates easily glide through the air.

Lie Ren sighs again and the scene changes to him brushing his teeth in the restroom while Nora continues to talk.

Nora: I can't believe we've been at Beacon for a full twenty-four hours! Not that I thought we'd get kicked out or anything, I mean, you're the perfect student and I'm... well, I'm me! But it's just crazy, you know?

The scene changes to the ballroom, where the two are readying themselves. Nora is brushing her hair and still chattering while Ren is tightening the strings on his sleeping bag.

Nora: We've been friends for soooooooo long! What are the odds we'd still be together? Well, not "together-together..." Not that I'm not saying that you're not handsome; you are handsome, but that'd just be weird, right?

The scene changes again as the two are in the middle of eating their breakfast, Nora having a pancake hanging from her mouth as she is still talking.

Nora: (muffled through her food) Right! What was I thinking? But still, I hope we end up on the same team together! (slurps up the rest of her pancake) Oohhhh! We should come up with some sort of plan, to make sure we end up on the same team together! What if we bribe the headmaster? No, that won't work. He has the school.

The scene changes again as the two are readying themselves in the locker room, Ren loading StormFlower and Nora still talking.

Nora: I know! We'll have some sort of signal! Like a distress signal! (gasps) A secret signal so we can find each other in the forest! Can you imitate a sloth?

Ren: (finally replying) Nora?

Nora: Yes, Ren?

Ren: (sheathing his weapons in his sleeves) I don't think sloths make a lot of noise.

Nora: (thinks about this for a moment) That's why it's perfect! No one will suspect we're working together!

Ren: (smiling and shutting his locker) Come on Nora, let's go.

Nora: Not "together-together..." (giggles)

Ren heads out while a skipping Nora follows, passing Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long as they are busy readying themselves.

Ruby: Wonder what those two are so worked up about?

Yang: Oh, who knows? So, you seem awfully chipper this morning!

Ruby: Yep! No more awkward small talk or "getting-to-know-you" stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking. (strokes Crescent Rose as she sighs happily)

Yang: Well, remember, Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. If you wanna grow up, you're gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together.

Ruby: (sighs in frustration) You sound like Dad! (shoves her weapon into the locker) Okay, first of all: What does meeting new people have to do with fighting? And secondly: I don't need people to help me grow up! I drink milk!

Yang: But what about when we form teams?

Ruby: (suddenly nervous) Um, I don't know, I... I'll just be on your team or something...

Yang: (Bringing her hair around her shoulder and stroking it) Maybe you should try being on someone else's team?

Ruby: My dear sister Yang, are you implying that you do not wish to be on the same team as me?

Yang: What? No! Of course I do! I just thought... I don't know, maybe it would help you... break out of your shell!

Ruby: What the-?! I don't need to 'break out of my shell'! That's absolutely-

Jaune: Ridiculous! (suddenly walking in between the sisters, holding a map and looking lost) There's no way I put my gear in locker 636 yesterday! I would've remembered having to count that high! Why does this have to happen today?

Jaune passes Weiss Schnee and Pyrrha Nikos as they ready themselves at their lockers.

Weiss: So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself!

Pyrrha: Hmm... I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may.

Weiss: Well... I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together.

Pyrrha: Well, that sounds grand!

Weiss: Great!

The background disappears into a thundercloud as Weiss adopts a scheming pose and manic smile in her head.

Weiss: This will be perfect! The smartest girl in class combined with the strongest girl in class! Together we will be unstoppable! I can see it now! We'll be popular! We'll be celebrities! We'll get perfect grades! Nothing can come between us now!

Jaune: (coming between them and interrupting Weiss' evil train of thought) You know what else is great? Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you.

Jaune looks back just in time to see Miló strike him, sending the would-be leader flying off the screen.

Pyrrha: I'm sorry!

An announcement plays on the intercom system.

Glynda (voice only): Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately.

Weiss passes Jaune as he hangs from the wall of a locker on her way out. Pyrrha follows her, grabbing her spear and dropping Jaune to the ground.

Pyrrha: It was nice meeting you!

Jaune: (slumping against the locker) Likewise...

Yang: (as she and Ruby approach) Having some trouble there, lady-killer?

Jaune: I don't understand. My dad said all women look for is confidence! Where did I go wrong?"(accepts Ruby's offered hand and uses her to lift himself back up)

Yang: "Snow Angel" probably wasn't the best start.

Ruby: Come on, Jaune, let's go.

Ruby leads Jaune out of the locker room by supporting him and his damaged self-esteem.

The scene opens to the Beacon Cliff, overlooking a forest, where several students — some old, some new, and some unseen — are standing on silver tiles in front of a mug-holding Professor Ozpin and Glynda with her tablet.

Ozpin: For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest.

Glynda: Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of "teams." Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... today.

Ruby: What? Ohhh...

Ozpin: These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well.

Ruby: (groaning)

Ozpin: That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years.

Ruby: (the shocked expression mirrors her world cracking like glass and falling apart) Whaaaat?!

Nora: (to Ren) See? I told you-!

Ozpin: After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die.

Jaune laughs nervously and then gulps loudly.

Ozpin: You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will reguard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?

Jaune: (raising his hand) Yeah, um, sir?

Ozpin: Good! Now, take your positions.

Everyone strikes a pose on their tile. Nora crouches low, Ren wields his weapons, Yang raises her fists, Ruby readies her body, and Jaune is still raising his hand.

Jaune: Uh, sir? I've got, um... a question. (he misses the tile under Weiss rising up into a springboard, rocketing into the air and over the forest, as the platforms activate down the line) So, this landing... strategy thing... Uh, wha-what is it? You're, like, dropping us off or something?

Ozpin: No. You will be falling.

Jaune: (missing more students being thrown) Oh, uh, I see... So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?

At her turn, Yang winks at her younger sister, puts on a pair of aviators, and flies off with a "Woo-hoooooooo!" a second before Ruby joins her.

Jaune: So, what exactly is a landing strategYYY!...

He asks this part just when he finally has to get hurled with the cloud of students now making their way down into the forest below under the eyes of the teachers. Ozpin, for his part, simply takes a sip of his drink before the scene goes black and the credits roll.

Blake Belladonna was not seen in this episode or listed in the credits. However Kerry Shawcross posted an image on Twitter saying that Blake was "in the back", with an arrow pointing to one of the silhouettes in the background.

Also, while Blake was not shown directly in this episode, her silhouette in the album art for her song, "From Shadows", is seen during the ending credits.

Nora is seen holding a tube of Shi-nee Toothpaste. In the brand name, the "S" is red and the remaining letters are blue, similar to the real world "Crest" brand logo. A Schnee snowflake appears on the end of the tube. Crest frequently uses a starburst on their products, and a snowflake could be a possible reference to the Schnee Dust Company.

Monty Oum stated that Jaune is speared by Pyrrha in the locker room to establish that she can do this without killing him, and that it's an OK thing between them.[1] This makes it less contrived when Pyrrha spears him to help him during the Beacon Initiation.